My easy Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe yields a perfectly spiced, creamy cheesecake nestled in a buttery homemade crust. It’s a fan-favorite that looks impressive on a plate, but it is easy to make (no water baths here!).
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Helpful Reader Review
“Hands down the best cheesecake recipe. I will use any excuse, any holiday as an occasion to make this. Everyone in my family loves it.” – Alex ★★★★★
Pumpkin Cheesecake Video
Pumpkin Cheesecake has been one of the most popular recipes on my blog for years (the reviews speak for themselves!) I added a video tutorial and added some great tips to prevent cracks without using a water bath.
Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe
Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe mixes Cheesecake (the creamy filling and crunchy buttery crust) with Pumpkin Pie (the iconic pumpkin and fall spices) for the ultimate dessert.
This pumpkin cheesecake is so easy and delicious by itself, but it is just over-the-top impressive when you add some of my easy Butterscotch Sauce or Caramel and rum-infused Whipped Cream. Make this velvety-smooth pumpkin cheesecake up to 5 days ahead for easy holiday entertaining.
Ingredients for Pumpkin Cheesecake Crust
- Crackers – You can buy graham cracker crumbs, or crush 13 whole graham crackers for 1 1/2 cups of crumbs. You can substitute with gingersnap cookies, Vanilla wafers (Nilla Wafers), Shortbread cookies, or Biscoff (speculoos) cookies.
- Add-Ins – unsalted butter, sugar, and cinnamon
Pumpkin Cheesecake Ingredients
For consistent results, use room-temperature ingredients to get that velvety pumpkin cheesecake texture.
- Cream cheese – room temperature – to warm it up quickly, cut the cream cheese into small cubes, place them on a plate, and let sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes
- Brown sugar – Use packed light brown sugar. “Packed” is when it holds its shape as it comes out of the measuring cup
- Pumpkin puree – I prefer Libby’s 100% pure pumpkin because (see why below). A well-drained homemade pumpkin puree will work. I’ve also tested this with canned pumpkin pie mix with great results.
- Eggs – To quickly bring to room temperature, set eggs in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes.
- Sour cream – cuts the heaviness of the cream cheese, while giving a creamy texture
- Flour – acts as a stabilizer to give the cheesecake strength and prevent cracking, measure correctly
- Flavorings – Use store-bought or make your own Pumpkin Pie Spice and Vanilla Extract.
Pro Tip:
The best pumpkin filling for my cheesecake recipe is Libby’s brand because other brands tend to be too watery and lighter in color. This is the brand I recommend for all of my pumpkin recipes, from my Pumpkin Roll to Pumpkin Pancakes.
How to Make a Graham Cracker Crust
- Prep – Preheat Oven to 350˚F. Pulse graham crackers in a food processor until fine crumbs form. You could also put graham crackers in a large zip-top bag and use a rolling pin to crush them into fine crumbs.
- Bake – mix the crust ingredients together in a bowl, and then press into a 9-inch springform pan. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet (to catch butter drips), and bake at 350˚F for 8 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Reduce the oven temp to 325˚F.
How to Make a Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Beat the cream cheese and brown sugar for 5 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed (Now it’s similar to a yummy frosting!)
- Make Pumpkin Filling – Whisk together the remaining filling ingredients, and add them to the cream cheese mixture on low speed until just combined.
- Bake – Pour the filling into the cooled pie crust, then tap it several times on the counter to release any bubbles. Place a loaf pan half-filled with water next to the cheesecake on the center rack and bake for 50-60 minutes. When the edges are set, but the center 3 inches is still wobbly, turn off the oven and prop the door open with a wooden spoon to let the cheesecake cool for 30 minutes. Note: If you have a gas oven, you can leave the door closed and turn the oven off since gas ovens cool much faster.
- Chill – Remove from the oven and run a knife around the edges to release tension and cool to room temperature on a rack, then cover and chill for 4 hours, or overnight.
- Serve – Remove the springform pan and slice the cake. The cheesecake itself is not too sweet, so the toppings complement it nicely. I start with a drizzle of Caramel Sauce or Butterscotch Sauce on each slice, pipe on Whipped Cream, and dust with pumpkin spice.
Pro Tip:
I love serving pumpkin cheesecake with festive Rum-infused Whipped Cream (1 cup cream, 2 Tbsp sugar, & 1 tsp of rum instead of vanilla).
How to Prevent Cracks in Pumpkin Cheesecake?
- Reduce bubbles – Avoid overmixing or mixing on high speed, which creates air bubbles, and tap the filled pan on the counter to release air.
- Add water – Adding steam will keep the cheesecake moist to prevent cracks.
- Keep the oven closed – If you open the oven too early or too often, it creates temperature swings, which contribute to cracking.
- Avoid overbaking! This is HUGE – bake until the cheesecake is still wobbly in the center 3″. Since not all ovens are created equal, check for doneness in the last 10 minutes.
- Cool slowly – propping the door open with a wooden spoon prevents sudden temperature changes and prevents cracks.
- Loosen the cheesecake from the pan as soon as it comes out of the oven to reduce tension.
Sometimes, even if you’ve done everything right, you might get a tiny crack. If it does happen, cover the top with Caramel Sauce, Candied Pecans, Ganache, or whipped cream. It will still taste great!
Make-Ahead and Storage
Once the pumpkin cheesecake has cooled to room temperature, cover and chill until cold and fully set (at least 4 hours or overnight).
- To Refrigerate: Keep leftovers tightly covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. It keeps best if stored without toppings.
- Freezing: Tightly wrap the cheesecake in plastic wrap and foil and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and add your toppings just before serving.
Everyone loves my popular pumpkin cheesecake recipe because the cheesecake is velvety and smooth with a buttery graham cracker crust. Top with caramel sauce and homemade whipped cream for the ultimate Thanksgiving dessert!
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, from about 13 whole graham crackers
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
For the Pumpkin Cheesecake:
- 24 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 15 oz pumpkin puree, Libby's brand, or well-drained homemade puree*
- 4 large eggs
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, plus more to dust
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp real vanilla extract
Optional Toppings:
Instructions
Make the Crust:
- Prep – Preheat Oven to 350˚F. Pulse graham crackers in a food processor until fine crumbs form.
- Bake – In a medium bowl, stir together the crust ingredients – graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter. Transfer into a 9-inch springform pan with 3" tall walls and use a large spoon to press crumbs into the bottom of your springform pan, going about 1/2" up the sides of the pan. Place on a foil-lined sheet pan to catch any drippings and bake at 350˚F for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.
Make the Pumpkin Cheesecake:
- Beat the cream cheese– Preheat to 325°F. In the bowl of your mixer with the paddle attachment, beat softened cream cheese and brown sugar on med speed until light and fluffy and without lumps (5 min), scraping down the bowl once to make sure you don't have chunks of cream cheese.
- Mix the pumpkin – In a separate bowl, using a whisk, stir together pumpkin puree, eggs, sour cream, flour, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined. Add this mixture to the cream cheese filling and continue mixing on low speed just until well combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Bake – Transfer the filling into the pre-baked and cooled crust, and then tap the pan on the counter 15 times to release air bubbles. Place a loaf pan half filled with hot water (steam helps prevent cracks), and your cheesecake on the center rack and bake at 325˚F for 50-60 minutes* or until the edges are set and there is a slight wobble in the center 3" of the cheesecake when you jolt the pan. Turn the oven off and prop the door open with a wooden spoon for 30 minutes to cool slowly. Note: If you have a gas oven, turn the oven off and leave the door closed since gas ovens cool much faster.
- Chill and Serve – Once the cheesecake is out of the oven, run a knife around the edges of the pan (helps release tension), then cool on a rack until room temperature; about 2 hours. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. To serve, carefully remove chilled cheesecake from the springform pan, cut into slices, and add your desired toppings.
Notes
*Bake Times: Not all ovens are created equal so check your cheesecake for doneness before pulling it out of the oven. If your oven doesn’t preheat fully, it may take 60-70 minutes in the oven. Storage and Make-Ahead Tips:
- Make Ahead – bake and cool the cheesecake. Cover tightly and chill for up to 5 days in the fridge. Add toppings when ready to serve.
- Freeze – wrap the chilled cheesecake (I keep it in the mold), or individual slices in plastic wrap and foil, or place in a freezer-safe ziptop bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and add toppings just before serving.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Fall Baking Recipes
Fall always puts me in the mood to bake, so here are a few of my favorite recipes we repeat each year.
- Apple Pie
- Pumpkin Bread
- Mini Pumpkin Pies
- Apple Turnovers
- Baklava
- Carrot Cake
- Apple Crisp
- Baked Apples
- Cinnamon Rolls
I loved it. thanks.
Absolutely amazing recipe Natasha! Worked out perfectly from first try!! I just need to add maybe another tbl spn sugar Next time to the whipped cream 🙂 thank you for your site. Idk what I’d do without it 🙂
I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂 Thanks!
Making this today! Do you have to keep the oven open for 45 min?
It’s not absolutely crucial, but it does help prevent cracking in the cheesecake. Make sure the oven is off during that 45 min and prop it open with a wooden spoon.
Hi Natasha, thank you for this incredible recipe!!! I made my first ever pumpkin cheesecake and it was really good!!! We live in US for 4 years and we never even wanted to try it, the color isnt attractive and the main ingredient the same…. BUT your mouthwatering presentation intrugued me AND I decided to give it a try by the end;))) and every one (even two my little ones) in my family enjoyed it!!! I would never thought that it can turn out that delicious with pumpkin!!!!!
The only thing I wonder why I had a crack in the middle??? (I’ve covered it with cream and caramel sauce, like it wasn’t there at all;))) )… But still why???
Thank you and way to go!!!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it! It’s funny, my husband made it today too! A couple things possibly; did you bake in the center of the oven? Also, did you make sure to following the beating instructions and not beat on too high of a speed; that introduces air bubbles into the mixture and could cause more cracking. I hope that helps. 🙂
This looks AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!
For a ready pie crust. How much of cream cheese would I have to use? Less? So the filling would fit into a ready pie crust
One of my readers said she was able to make two pies with the full recipe. I haven’t tested any variations of less cream cheese and the same amount of pumpkin so I can’t really recommend that without testing first.
Hi Natasha. This cheesecake looks amazing! I want to try it for a work potluck this week. Will let you know how it turned out. Question: Do you make your own caramel sauce?? Or did you use store bought for this cake? If you made it, what recipe did you use?
You can use store-bought if you like, but homemade is so easy and quick and has no weird ingredients in it. I used pioneer woman’s recipe for caramel sauce. I left a link in the post. 🙂
Such a gorgeous cheesecake, love the caramel drizzle!
It’s such a tasty caramel sauce and I couldn’t believe how easy it was to make it. After I finished decorating the cheesecake, I had a little leftover and I dipped granny smith apples into it. Scrumptious!
I just made this pie it smells and looks delicious! ! Thank you !! =) I had it in the oven extra 45 min with slightly open door. But it cracked 🙁 do you know why?
Hmmmm…. I actually haven’t had this one crack on me. Did you bake it in the center of the oven? Also, did you make sure to beat the cream cheese on medium speed and then combine the pumpkin mixture with the cream cheese mixture on low speed? Sometimes if you beat on too high of speed, you introduce too much air into the batter and it could cause cracks. It could also just be a difference in ovens. I hope that helps somewhat.
Yea my mixer is broken it only beats on high speed .lol yess I know I need a new one ASAP . I guess that’s the problem ok thank you so much:)
Oh man, what a bummer! 🙁 At least Christmas is right around the corner 😉
Mine cracked too bc i have a bummy mixer! Goes only high speed 🙁 But it still tastes amazing 🙂
Will have to hint to hibs for a kitchen aid…hehhe
I’m sure glad you still enjoyed it. Whipped cream covers everything 😉
I have heard a water bath while it cooks helps with it not cracking. Giving it a try as I type. I will let you know how it works for me.
Yes, do let me know how it goes! Happy Thanksgiving! 🙂
Okay first of all i CANT bake. I can cook but baking turns into a huge mess. Made this yesterday! OMG!!!!!!!! Sooooo easy and so tasty! Thanks a million you rock!
The first part of your comment made me a little antsy; I thought, Ok, here it comes…. dun dun dun. lol. I’m so happy you had awesome results! 🙂 Woot Woot!!
Same goes for me..im a terrible baker! But all the recipes ive tried on your blog always WORK and they taste fantastic!! About to put the whip on this cheesecake and take it to a housewarming party. Im a big fan! Thank you for working so hard on these recipes and blog!
Sveta, (can I call you Sveta? – My sisters name is Sveta :)) thank you so much! I sure appreciate your sweet comment 🙂
Hi Natasha. I love your recipes and your my go to place when I make most meals now. I am planning for a Halloween party and I am planning to make this awesome cheese cake. I have the Pumpkin Pie Mix that you have in your photo at home. Another poster mentioned that it has added sugar. Should I adjust my sugar in the recipe then?
No need to adjust. The cake photographed uses pumpkin pie mix. You can sub with just puree or homemade puree, but everything else stays the same.
If I don’t have a fancy mixer like you do, can I still make this successfully with a hand held mixer? I’m not much of a baker so I wouldn’t know. 😉 But I really want to surprise my husband with this dessert.
Yes, you can use a hand mixer. 🙂 I hope you and your husband love it!
Pumpkin Cheesecake is my hubby’s favorite dessert.. I just made this and its baking as I type and it smells wonderful! My 1.5 year old daughter sure loved licking the frosting off of the spatula! Anyways the only thing I did different is I added pecans into the crust and adjusted the butter and sugar a little bit. I’ll let you know how it turns out! 🙂
Oh do let me know how it turned out. The pecans in the crust sound wonderful! My son doesn’t eat pecans so that idea is out for me, but is sure sounds good! 🙂
It turned out amazing! My hubby loved the caramel topping and kept squeezing on that extra rum whip cream on each of his slices. Will make again for sure! Thank you for another great recipe!
Oh that is so fantastic! I can imagine the rum whipped cream scene. lol. Isn’t it amazing how just a tiny splash of rum makes that cream so tasty? I’m so happy you both enjoyed it 🙂
Love it! Thank you, Natasha!
That looks amazing! I was at Olive Garden the other day and saw their pumpkin cheesecake and wanted to make one soon. This is perfect! (by the way, your ingredients photo shows pumpkin pie mix which is slightly different from canned pumpkin puree.. the mix contains added sugars, water, salt, etc.)
Thank you Katy! I also purchased the wrong size :-O (photographed is a larger can than needed – since you only need 15 oz). You can use either pumpkin pie mix or canned pumpkin puree or your own homemade puree).
Natasha, hi! I am writing you from Ukraine)) Just wanna tell you, that you are doing a great work! And this cheesecake is no exception)
Thank you so much for the sweet compliment 🙂
I am totally in love with this cheesecake! I roasted and pureed 3 pumpkins and already made 2 pumpkin pies to celebrate Canadian thanksgiving last weekend. I brought some to work yesterday as my British and Italian colleagues have never tasted pumpkin pie in their lives. It was so much fun to introduce them to pumpkin deliciousness. I can’t wait to make this cheesecake, Natasha. I just told my husband last night I want to try and make one this year. Pinned.
Thanks Julia 🙂 And thank you so much for pinning! It sounds like you are all stocked up with pumpkin for the winter! 🙂
Wow…no other words 🙂
Awww, thanks Binsy 🙂
This looks delicious ! Can’t wait to try it! Thank you Natasha for another wonderful recipe . May God bless you and your beautiful family abundantly ! 🙂
Thank you so much Tamara an blessings to you as well! 🙂
Natasha, this cheesecake look amazing. I am loving this pumpkin season.
Oh me too! I went to my sister in laws house to raid her pumpkin patch and I asked her if she had any sugar pumpkins. She said she didn’t think so and about 50% of the pumpkins I picked were actually sugar pumpkins! Homemade puree, here I come! 🙂 And they sure look pretty on my dining room table for now 🙂
What happens if your family can’t wait for the 4 hours in fridge before eating?? 😳😳😳
That is a pickle for sure. The best thing to do is to hide it. If you slice too early, it won’t set properly.